Panhead of improved operability

Abstract

A panhead for a tripod has a panning base for rotation about a vertical axis, a tilting base hinged to the panning base for tilting in a vertical plane, a handle attached to the tilting base, and a camera mounting hinged to the tilting base for turning a camera between a landscape and a portrait position, the hinge of the camera mounting being situated so that the camera viewfinder remains on the right hand side of the panhead handle in either the portrait or landscape positions of the camera and the photographer is not forced to change grips on the handle between these positions.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A panhead for a tripod of the type used for supporting a camera, said panhead comprising: a panning base adapted for mounting to a tripod for rotation in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis;   a tilting base hinged to said panning base for turning about a first horizontal axis, said tilting base having left and right sides, a front and a rear;   a side tilting base including a top surface and hinged to said tilting base for turning about a second horizontal axis transverse to said first horizontal axis between a horizontal position and a vertical position, and means for mounting a camera to said top surface; and   an operating handle extending rearwardly from said left side of said tilting base;   characterized in that said second horizontal axis is located on said right side of said tilting base and generally diametrically opposed to said handle about said vertical axis, such that said side tilting base pivots clockwise and towards the right of an operator facing said rear as said side tilting base is turned from said horizontal to said vertical position.   
     
     
       2. A panhead for a tripod of the type used for supporting a camera, said panhead comprising: a panning base rotatable about a vertical axis;   a tilting base hinged to said panning base about a first horizontal axis normal to said vertical axis and an operating handle attached to said tilting base;   a side tilting base hinged to said tilting base for turning between a horizontal position and a vertical position about a second horizontal axis normal to both said first horizontal axis and said vertical axis, and means for mounting a camera to said side tilting base;   characterized in that said mounting means lies between said handle and said second horizontal axis in a horizontal position of said side tilting base.   
     
     
       3. The panhead of claim 2 wherein said mounting means is a screw axially aligned with said vertical axis in said horizontal position of said side tilting base. 
     
     
       4. The panhead of claim 2 wherein said handle extends parallel to said second horizontal axis in a top plan view of said panhead. 
     
     
       5. A panhead for a tripod of the type used for supporting a camera, said panhead comprising: a panning base rotatable about a vertical axis;   a tilting base hinged to said panning base about a first horizontal axis normal to said vertical axis, said tilting base having a left side and a right side, and an operating handle attached to one of said left and said right sides;   a side tilting base including a top surface and hinged to said tilting base for turning between a horizontal position and a vertical position about a second horizontal axis normal to both said first horizontal axis and said vertical axis, and camera mounting means on said top surface;   characterized in that said camera mounting means move towards the other of said left and said right sides as said side tilting base moves from said horizontal position towards said vertical position.   
     
     
       6. A panhead for a tripod of the type used for supporting a camera, said panhead comprising: a panning base rotatable about a vertical axis;   a tilting base hinged to said panning base about a first horizontal axis normal to said vertical axis;   a side tilting base including a top surface and hinged to said tilting base for turning between a horizontal position and a vertical position about a second horizontal axis normal to both said first horizontal axis and said vertical axis, and camera mounting means on said top surface;   an operating handle attached to said tilting base on one side of said second horizontal axis;   characterized in that said camera mounting means moves towards the other side of said second horizontal axis as said side tilting base moves from said horizontal position towards said vertical position.   
     
     
       7. The panhead of claim 6 wherein said mounting means is a screw axially aligned with said vertical axis in said horizontal position of said side tilting base. 
     
     
       8. The panhead of claim 6 wherein said mounting means lies between said handle and said second horizontal axis in said horizontal position of said side tilting base.